Muslims mark pilgrimage

ABOUT 5000 people flocked to Keysborough’s Eid-Ul-Adha Festival last Saturday to celebrate the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.
Organised by and held at the Keysborough Turkish-Islamic Cultural Centre, the festival was a cultural and religious celebration, with food, rides, entertainment and an opportunity for family time.
The Keysborough Turkish-Islamic Cultural Centre hosted the festival and president Ekrem Ozyurek said this year’s festivities were the largest organisers had seen in recent years.
“Throughout the day we had close to 4000 or 5000 people, it was very busy until about midnight.”
Mr Ozyurek said the festival was an annual event on the Lunar Calendar, making it fall roughly 10 Roman Calendar days earlier each year.
“This year we will celebrate it on New Year’s Eve,” he said, adding that the festival itself might happen the Saturday before the New Year holiday.
Mr Ozyurek said many leaders from Turkish communities around Victoria attended the festival, alongside the Turkish Consul-General, Ihsan Sakarya.
Mr Ozyurek thanked the City of Greater Dandenong councillors who attended, including mayor Peter Brown and local MPs Daniel Andrews, Dale Wilson, John Pandazopoulos, Adam Zomyurek, Ann Corcoran and Alan Griffin who attended throughout the day.
Cr Brown said the festival was a delight to have attended.
“It’s a good feeling to see many thousands of people enjoying life,” he said.
Cr Brown said council would look at making another venue available for the festival, which was almost to the point of overcrowding on its current grounds, Greens Road, Keysborough.
“Council will hopefully be in position to provide a reserve or facility if the festival gets too big for its present site.”